The above table serves as a snapshot of the typical factors that impact ridership, and illustrates the differences which exist between the current month and the same month in the previous year. If a change occurred, it is categorized to represent a (typically) positive, negative or neutral impact on ridership. More details on the observed impacts are noted in the description of ridership results below. ​

​Local Network Overview

Local Bus

Monthly Total

There were 4,810K boardings in June 2017 compared to 4,790K in June 2016, an increase of 21K boardings (or less than 1 percent increase) on local bus service. On June 15, 2017 Houston Metro joined in National “Dump the Pump Day” by offering patrons free rides which helped offset ridership loss from losses due to inclement weather.

Average Daily Ridership: Weekday / Saturday / Sunday

Average daily ridership decreased on Weekday and increased on Saturday and Sunday in June 2017 compared to 2016. Weekday average daily ridership decreased by approximately 2K boardings (or 1 percent decrease), Saturday average daily ridership increased by approximately 8K (or 7 percent increase), and Sunday average daily ridership increased by approximately 4K boardings (or 4 percent increase) in 2017.

​Light Rail

Monthly Total

There were 1,529K boardings on all three light rail lines in June 2017, compared to 1,517K boardings in June 2016, an increase of 13K boardings (or 1 percent). Ridership increased on two of three rail lines in June 2017. Relative to June 2016, Green line ridership increased by 59 percent; and Purple line ridership increased by 24 percent. Red line ridership decreased by 4 percent. A major factor contributing to a ridership increase is the extension of the Green line to Magnolia Park Transit Center on January 11, 2017. A decrease in the number and timing of special events contributed to the decrease on the Red line. There were two fewer international soccer events at NRG Stadium in June 2017 relative to June 2016 and the Free Press event this year occurred during the weekend of a planned service interruption. The combined effects of these two events resulted in a negative special event impact relative to the previous year.

Average Daily Ridership: Weekday / Saturday / Sunday

Average light rail Weekday ridership increased by 2K (or 4 percent) in June 2017 compared to June 2016. Average light rail Saturday ridership increased by 3K (or 11 percent) while average light rail Sunday ridership increased by 2K (or 10 percent). Average Weekday ridership on the Red line decreased by 1 percent while average Saturday, and Sunday ridership on the Red Line each increased by 3 percent over June 2016 respectively. Average Weekday, Saturday and Sunday ridership on the Green line showed increases of 63 percent, 63 percent, and 56 percent and the Purple line showed increases of 29 percent, 38 percent, and 32 percent over June 2016 respectively. As stated in the paragraph above, the Green line was extended to Magnolia Park Transit Center on January 11, 2017, resulting in two additional stations relative to the previous year.

Total Local Network

Monthly Total

There were 6,340K boardings in June 2017 compared to 6,306K in June 2016, an increase of approximately 33K boardings (or 1 percent increase).

Average Daily Ridership: Weekday / Saturday / Sunday

Weekday average daily ridership increased by less than 1K boardings (or less than 1 percent increase) year over year. Saturday average daily ridership increased by approximately 11K boardings (or 8 percent increase) year over year. Sunday average daily ridership increased by approximately 6K boardings (or 5 percent increase) year over year.

​Commuter Network Overview

Park & Ride

Monthly Total

There were 683K Park and Ride boardings in June 2017 compared to 718K boardings in June 2016, a decrease of approximately 36K boardings (or 5 percent decrease).

Average Daily Ridership: Weekday

Average Weekday ridership in June 2017 was 31K boardings compared to 33K boardings June 2016, a decrease of approximately 2K boardings (or 6 percent decrease). According to the most recent Origin-Destination Survey, 94 percent of all Park and Ride trips are work-based trips. The increase in unemployment relative to the previous year is a major contributor to the decrease in ridership.

Entire Network Summary

Monthly Total

There were 7,022K boardings on the entire fixed-route network in June 2017 compared to 7,024K boardings in June 2016, a decrease of 2K boardings (or less than 1 percent decrease).

Average Daily Ridership: Weekday / Saturday / Sunday

Average daily ridership for the entire fixed-route network decreased on Weekday and increased on Saturday and Sunday. Average weekday ridership decreased by approximately 2K boardings (or 1 percent decrease), average Saturday ridership increased approximately by 11K boardings (or 8 percent increase), and average Sunday ridership increased by 6K boardings (or 5 percent increase).